Unforgivable' failings in end-of-life care revealed as 40,000 dying patients subject to secret 'do not resuscitate' orders every year

By Laura Donnelly, health editor of The Telegraph.

As many as 200,000 patients a year are having “do not resuscitate orders” secretly imposed on them instructing doctors not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the patient suffers a cardiac arrest or stops breathing, without their families ever being told, it can be disclosed.

A national audit of dying patients has highlighted a failure by authorities to tell relatives of plans put in place for their loved ones.

One might think that as I am a firm supporter of the Right to Die Societies I would have been FOR these actions, but, far from it, as these decisions can only be made by the person who is choosing to die and nobody else.

I guess that we just have to trust that wherever our olds are located we hope that they are getting the care they require.

As far as "do not resucitate" orders are concerned, that has to be in the power of the close relatives as to what the patient might have wanted is carried out. None of the doctors or care staff have that right and if they do it without permission they should be jailed for the act.

This brings me to euthanasia, as I know how you feel about this Paps, but in this country euthanasia of any type is against the law.

I am aware, as a family member works in an end of life care-home, that on occasion, and maybe more often than we realise, pain medication can be turned up so far that the patient quietly dies.

If doctors or practice nurses are committing euthanasia via do-not-resuscitate orders, without the relatives permission, then putting it simply, that is murder.

I would like to think that the watchdogs might start to look much more closely at so many unexpected deaths.

I am glad that you mentioned the "pain management" syndrome as it seems that so long as powerful painkillers are not given in large, and one-off doses, it will be extremely hard for any watchdog to find that any laws have been broken if the pain medication is increased very slowly until the patient just slips away.

YES, I am a supporter of the Right to Die Societies as I believe in voluntary euthanasia, but this is not what is happening here, as we DO NOT have laws that allow voluntary euthanasia in Britain.

That is why so many British people are forced to go to Dignitas, in Switzerland to end their lives in peace and with dignity.

It is a thorny issue, since the scandal of the Liverpool Care Pathway was exposed as euthanasia for the inconvenient old people with no families to speak for them, also the way it was administered by deliberately witholding food and water.

DNR should not be in the gift of the doctor; but only the patient and his or her family should have that responsibility. Those who wish, because of incurable illness and unbearable pain however should be allowed to die in clinics such as Dignitas, where they will get the physical support and care they need during the process.

The religions also seem to be able to sway the Commons votes for some reason. Maybe these voters are afraid to vote with their consciences as they are worried what their constituency parties will say when they go back home ?